thinking of upgrading my putter.... from nike to ...

[stu3y]

I have a nike method b1-07 putter, been getting on pretty well with it, the only thing im not keen on is the marks for lining up, they are pretty poor to be fair.
ive upgraded all my clubs and woods over the last 12 months, apart from my putter and now i feel that im getting better at golf, I fancy a putter upgrade... apart from the likes of scotty cameron, what would people recommend? are nike putters generally good? maybe im been abit daft wanting to upgrade it, just fancy abit of a change, not necesarily looking for it to improve my game by much, but who knows, ive never really had much experience with other brands of putter!

is there any benefit of other head types rather than a blade? or is it down to looks?

 

[patricks148]

well if you are upgrading from Nike, the next step up is Dunlop:rofl:

 

[Garush34]

I like odyssey putters. Greta feel and overall performance is good too. Have had blade in the past but now on to the #7 shape. I like the way it sits at address, but it all comes down to personal preference.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

There are theories that certain styles of putter suit certain styles of stroke but I'm a firm believer that putting is all about confidence. If you like the look/feel of a putter then go for it! Pop into a couple of shops and try out different ones till you find 'the one' :thup:

 

[Coffey]

I am also in the confidence camp. Personally, I don't think the style has an impact. Go to a store and try a few, and don't be fooled by which one you stick in that hole the most! Get one that you feel confident in and like the look of.

I like the Odyssey 2 ball fang putter 35 inch counter balance, for me, it gives me a real solid stroke through the ball.

 

[IanM]

...once you are "thinking" of changing putters you "are changing your putter!"

...its all in the mind.

Go and try a few out, don't delay, or these funny thoughts are in your head while you are playing!

 

[GreggerKBR]

Putter choice nowadays is huge - a lot of the "sales garb" is utter BS. And you don't have to spend a fortune.
Any of the brands have a huge range - you can't go wrong with Odyssey though!

I'm sure there are many people more qualified than me to offer tips but from my experience there are a couple of pointers in choosing...
It's true you can put with anything, you don't have to have lessons or get a special putter.

But... do try and "buy once" and stick to it, that might mean being a bit more deliberate it finding something to suit.
It might also mean going for a proper putting lesson at somewhere that fits putters to you (like Harold Swash at Formby Hall etc.)
Believe me, if you spend the money now, you'll not ever need to buy another putter - most putters can be fitted to the right loft/lie for your set up.

Get a putter that you can line up easily and properly to your aim point - this is vital!
A proper putting pro will help here, but basically some people can line up easily with a perpendicular line, some with two "tram lines" some with the front of the blade some with back - it's weird - but you will know when you see it, you'll put it down and instantly know where it's pointing.

Get a grip that works for you - but don't go too fat with the grip - I tried this and it killed my ability to develop feel for "distance" on putts outside 15ft!

 

[IanM]

I've been playing for 30 years... only ever owned 3 putters....

 

[Dasit]

Can easily go through a lot of makes and spend a lot of money trying to find the one that works

Might as well skip all that fuss and buy the best straight, go get fit for a Scotty Cameron.

 

[jusme]

I'm in the other camp. Whilst I agree that of course you have to like the look and feel of it I am a believer in the theory of certain putter styles suit your putting stroke better than others. It's hardly a wild theory given most putters are either face balanced or toe balanced to one extent or another. It is most likely that if you put well with one style then I would likely only look at putters in that balance area.

There is a ton of reading in this area if you want it in detail, but in short (very short) if you have more of a straight back straight thru type of stroke (although there is an arc in just about everyones stroke) then a face balanced putter is likely to benefit you more. If you have more of an arc in your stroke then a toe hang is suggested. The more severe the arc the more the toe hang - that's the theory anyhow.

I tried to force an arc out of my stroke for ages as I preferred the feel of more face balanced putters. I did put better when I felt I got the SBST style stroke but it was too inconsistent. I went back to a stroke that felt natural and a putter with toe hang and the whole thing fits together like a glove. The face balanced putters did not work well with my natural feeling putter stroke. That's my experience for what it's worth

 

[Lord Tyrion]

My son has just bought a Nike Method putter, lovely thing too.

Have a good play at AG, they have loads of makes. I bought a new putter last year, Ping Cadence TR. TM and Odyssey also had very good options but the Ping suited me most.

The good news is there are lots of really nice putters out there.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Like the Odyssey putters except they seem to bring new ones out quicker than TM or Cally bring out irons. Plenty in the range to suit most styles and loads of face inserts. It's what suits the eye and the stroke and personal

 

[GreggerKBR]

I'm in the other camp. Whilst I agree that of course you have to like the look and feel of it I am a believer in the theory of certain putter styles suit your putting stroke better than others. It's hardly a wild theory given most putters are either face balanced or toe balanced to one extent or another. It is most likely that if you put well with one style then I would likely only look at putters in that balance area.

There is a ton of reading in this area if you want it in detail, but in short (very short) if you have more of a straight back straight thru type of stroke (although there is an arc in just about everyones stroke) then a face balanced putter is likely to benefit you more. If you have more of an arc in your stroke then a toe hang is suggested. The more severe the arc the more the toe hang - that's the theory anyhow.

I tried to force an arc out of my stroke for ages as I preferred the feel of more face balanced putters. I did put better when I felt I got the SBST style stroke but it was too inconsistent. I went back to a stroke that felt natural and a putter with toe hang and the whole thing fits together like a glove. The face balanced putters did not work well with my natural feeling putter stroke. That's my experience for what it's worth

This is why I believe that if you're serious you should go to a putting expert who will sort your posture and stroke out using high speed cameras, SAM, Quintic etc. That set up affects path, arc, face closing rate massively. Then they can put a range putter options forward for you to choose, with expert knowledge.
If you really want to give yourself the best chance to be the best you can this is essential.
Trust me, I've tried all the alternatives and they do not work!

 

[clubchamp98]

Can easily go through a lot of makes and spend a lot of money trying to find the one that works

Might as well skip all that fuss and buy the best straight, go get fit for a Scotty Cameron.

Had my Scott's for 15 years have tried others but always come back to Kombi mallet 34" face balanced.